PNG

Do a search for PNG on the web and you are just as likely to get results related to a type of image file as you are information about the nation. I've been fascinated by PNG for a long time and actively devour any writings that outline life in the country. On Thursday my wife and I started talking to a man at the shopping centre. Turns out he was from PNG and only in Australia for a couple of weeks to see his cousin graduate from the University of Queensland. We asked him to come around for a gathering we were having and he said he would. Unfortunately he could only stay for about ten minutes, but he made the journey just to bring a present- a skull cap and bag that his mum had knitted. Very touching. Thanks Timmy- looking forward to visiting you in the Highlands!

Roos and drunks.

The kangaroo is normally depicted as in picture 1 above. I prefer the aesthetics of picture 2- it seems to show the venerability of the roo. These pictures were taken on Sunday at a cricket ground near Ipswich. And the roo is not happy to see me- that's a Joey in her pouch.

And now onto the drunk section. About a month ago I filmed some shenanigans outside the Eagle Farm racecourse on Melbourne Cup Day. I had two police officers ask me separately about my actions, and one security officer.

Melbourne Cup in Brisbane 2009 from DDS MEDIA on Vimeo.

John Pilger- winner of the 2009 Sydney Peace Prize.

Watch his speech below↓

Came across a really cool project today called Skateistan that built a skatepark in Kabul and provides skateboards for local kids to ride on.

Started reading Leigh Sales book about David Hicks. So far it's really good. I also recommend her blog.

Hair Changing 101.

Here's the completed David LaMotte video. I had difficulties uploading to YouTube, so I started a Vimeo account. And be sure to read this web interview with Dave.

David LaMotte: Hair Changing 101 from David Stuart on Vimeo.

Trampolines

As a kid my favourite item in my back yard was my trampoline. Then we got another trampoline. At one stage we had three trampolines (granted one was a jogging trampoline) and a shed. We would jump or somersault from the shed to the trampoline and then to another one to another one and then to a mattress. It was great fun. But never did we get anywhere near the level of the guy in the video below↓

delaying retirement

I never want to retire. I want to love my work and do it until I die. But I like how this designer approaches retirement.

Myles Barlow

There are certain comedians that really stand out for me. One such comic is Myles Barlow. His show, Review, had me in stitches the first time I saw it- I was literally gasping in pain. It is certainly not for everybody, but it may be for you. Have a look for yourself:

Amazing food art

I wish mum made me food like this as a kid.

The liberation of David LaMotte's dome.

I meet a lot of my good friends on the streets. David and Deanna LaMotte are two such friends. It was originally their recently-born son, Mason, who caught my attention. "Mason is our ambassador", Dave often says. Indeed he is! We all hit it off quickly and discovered a mutual love for Scrabble and stimulating conversation. David had spent the last two decades as a professional musical artist but is now a Rotary Peace Fellow at the University of Queensland. With his family, he is about to embark on a three month adventure in India where he'll be working with a Gandhian organisation. He learned that the attached bathroom will actually consist of a bucket and a mug. So it seemed as good a time as any to shave his head. Rather than just shave it off, he had his Facebook friends bid for his hair-or more accurately, virtual rights to his hair- with the profits going to PEG Partners, the NPO he founded to help improve schools in Guatemala. His hair will be donated to Locks of Love- an organisation that makes wigs for kids with need. This video is just a time lapse from yesterday. There will be another video uploaded soon with interviews and other footage. In the meantime be sure to check out David's blog: World Changing 101.

New videos

I've made some promotional videos for the CoffeeGuy to play in his shop on an LCD screen (no audio because we don't want to disturb the clients drinking their coffees).

Syphon


Presso


Moka Pot


Milk Texturer


French Press


Drip Filter


Bellman


Atomic


Aeropress

Macro panoramas

I wanted to try to do a macro-panoramic pic for some time and after a fair bit of experimenting I decided it would be extremely difficult. This is the best result that I got. Interesting maybe, but it's very obvious where the photos are stitched.

Bamboo

I got sent a link to this amazing bamboo-related site today. Check it out.

Would I walk in their shoes?

Very awesome "rogue sociologist" studies a crack-dealing gang in the toughest neighbourhoods of Chicago. Excellent read so far. He's very aware of his subject matter on a ground level and there are lots of facts and figures to support his anecdotes- not the other way around.


And speaking of walking in another person's shoes, check out these beauties. These shoes and feet belong to a German guy I started talking to at the recent Brisbane festival. I have socks from Japan that are similar in concept. Brilliant!

Travel Blog

Just sharing this link of an excellent travel blog on National Geographic's site.

And if you are really quick you'll still be able to see this awesome documentary on a film maker who had a tribal wedding in Tanna Vanuatu.

I just finished on the edit for Park(ing) Day Brisbane 2009.

Groping in Tokyo.

I've always known that groping was a problem in trains in Tokyo. Speaking with lots of Japanese women confirms that many of them have been groped on crowded trains and many of them do not report these incidents or find the offenders. A male Japanese friend once told me to keep my hands up in the air when riding crowded trains so as not to be blamed as a groper. There are women only cars running during rush hour but none for only men. I wonder if there were men only cars, would people like my paranoid friend who would use them so they could rest easy with their hands in their pockets- even during rush hour. Anyway, the ABC did an interesting, albeit brief, story on this very issue.

Owls.

Owls? Yes, owls.

My father-in-law loves them because he says they send their young off to discover life for themselves at an early age. Everybody knows he loves owls and as a result his house is filled with owl merchandise. My grandmother, who used to be a teacher, wrote a poem about owls. Last night, I read it for the first time.

OWLS.
They tell me that owls
Are intelligent fowls
Mine just sit around saying WHO
You wold think now and then
Either cock bird or hen
Would venture a "how", "where" or "when"?
I think it's their eyes
That makes us surmise
There's a great wisdom lurking within
But I think I'd much rather
Hear kookaburra laughter
I don't need an answer for him

M. Streader

Coffee & blog rolls

Working on a small video project with a local coffee roaster. In his bookshelf I saw a book entitled, "TEA SINKS, COFFEE FLOATS". Looked interesting- a good coffee table book perhaps.

I'm really enjoying Leigh Sales's (from Lateline on ABC) blog- Well Read-Head- especially her list of ten things to check out. Very interesting reading! They seem to be catered for me. Other blogs seem too shallow, or too deep. But Leigh somehow gets the balance just right.

Trebuchet

This is a trebuchet that my cousin made- he's in his early teens. On a slightly different scale there is another one I found on youtube: What is it about males and destroying stuff?

Cocaine traces found on 90% of US Greenbacks.

That's what the study says. And Washington comes in first with traces found on 95% of the notes. No surprises there I guess. What is surprising is that I read this story on the Sydney Morning Herald website, but couldn't find it on the NY Times site. If I was part of Gen-Y I'd say. "WTF?!" Stu Baker noted that most US$1 bills have a street value of $1.07.

Searching for Bill Trailer

I'm trying to help a friend, Jonas Tabi, from Vanuatu track down his old friend and boss, Australian Bill Trailer (pictured). He worked in the New Hebrides on boats for quite some time and Jonas is keen to catch up with him again. If anyone knows anything (I know it's a stab in the dark) please contact me.

Vulgar Aussies.

I've always known that Aussies have a much more laid-back approach to vulgar language. Now it has been confirmed by a university study.

Great Hoaxes

If you've seen the crazy waterslide leap you probably realised it couldn't be real. Well, this story confirms it. It looks realistic enough, but I have enough common sense and production/editing knowledge to know that this could easily be faked. Good job though- I'm sure many were fooled.

Blogroll?

Hmm, never had a blogroll. But here's a link that will do for the time being.

What a crazy week eh? Did you see the apartment block fall into the river in Taiwan? Lady's boxing has been given for the 2012 Olympics- but you'd have to be pretty deluded to think of that as progress.

I'm on twitter.

And quickly, try to check out Myles Barlow, as he would have to be the funniest newcomer to comedy. Absolutely hilarious. He reviews the parts of life that matter. In this most recent episode he reviews Paying for Sex, Free-Loading and Destitution. Very refreshing- you won't be disappointed.

See ya in the pit.
X

Redcliffe Freerunners

New Video Camera tests.

You know what I love even more than Australian Customs' media releases? My new camera! After running around with a glorified domestic camera for the last few years, having some manual controls is incredibly liberating. Watch this space because there is much more to come.

Yu and you.

If you are in the Queen Street Mall and want your name written in Chinese characters, Yu will do it for you for free.  What is his motivation?  He just wants to meet people.